It was dubbed an historic moment in sport when the major professional codes in Australia signed an ‘Anti-Homophobic Framework’ yesterday.
The parties to the document were Cricket Australia, Football Federation Australia, Australian Football League, Australian Rugby Union and the National Rugby League.
It marked the first time anywhere in the world that the major professional sporting bodies in any one country had signed on to tackle discrimination in sport on the basis of sexual orientation.
The issue first became a real talking point in Australian sport in 1995, when rugby league enforcer Ian Roberts spoke publicly of being gay. At the time he was still playing and in 1997 he signed on as skipper of the North Queensland Cowboys, before being forced into retirement by injury the following year.
Roberts was a trailblazer in Australian sport – the first high-profile sportsman to publicly announce he was gay. Understandably, given the precedent, Roberts’ decision to go public created a maelstrom of media interest. Many felt in the wake of his private life becoming public knowledge, other sportspeople may be influenced to make such admissions.
It has however, been a trickle rather than a torrent, especially with regard to male athletes.
During the same period a long list of high-profile Australians have followed Roberts’ example, from High Court judges and politicians to media identities and academics.
Of course that’s not to say that every member of the diverse LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) world has spoken publicly of their sexual orientation, nor should they be expected or compelled to.
Yet since Roberts’ public utterances, there have been few high-profile Australian sportsmen to do likewise. Olympic diving gold medallist Matthew Mitcham and Olympic swimming medallist Daniel Kowalski are among the small number to have made that choice.
There would be few occupations nowadays where public acknowledgement of one’s homosexuality would be an impediment, but many comments have been proffered within sporting circles about the effect such an admission would have on the participant’s standing within their sport and the broader community. Again, this is almost always slanted more critically toward sportsmen than sportswomen.
Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis told gay AFL players to “stay in the closet” in an article he penned for the Herald Sun in May 2010.
He wrote that such a public admission by a player “could break the fabric of the club… To come out is unnecessary for a lot of reasons”.
Fast forward to just a couple of weeks ago and AFL journalist Damien Barrett stated the AFL is not ready for an openly gay footballer, an opinion supported by former Hawthorn champion Jason Dunstall.
There is no doubt that comments and beliefs such as those have seen the major professional codes unite under a banner of tolerance with respect to sexual orientation. In the football codes in particular, there seems to be this irrational belief that homosexuals do not fit the required mould.
Perhaps that is why Mitcham and Kowalski – who were engaged in non-contact, non-combative sports – did not make major headlines with regard to their sexuality to the extent that a professional footballer would. Surely though we are at a tipping point, or hopefully, even a tad beyond it.
It was not that long ago that a sportsman – almost regardless of the code – would have been vilified and belittled had he chosen to raise publicly that he was suffering from a mental illness. Yet earlier this week, Melbourne AFL player Mitch Clark announced his retirement at age 26 as a result of suffering from depression.
The news of his condition was met universally with words of support and encouragement. The same was given to the likes of fellow AFL players Nathan Thompson and Wayne Schwass and cricketer Ryan Campbell.
Gone are the days where sportsmen are seen as automatically being weak or lacking courage if they admit to having mental health issues. What was once cause for general mirth and derision by many is no longer seen in the same light.
Roberts, Mitcham and Kowalski have hopefully blazed a trail for others who may also wish to make their sexual orientation public. Like most things that happen away from the field of play, there is really no reason for the wider population to know about the private lives of their heroes. However, should they wish to make that call themselves, they deserve the same respect as any of their teammates.
Hats off to the major professional codes that have chosen to publicly unite to support some of their own participants. The sad thing is that we still have to take such measures in the 21st century.
Caspar
Guest
Gay players should feel safe to come out. It's good that Australian sports are taking steps in the right direction to stamp out homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Yeah and the employees had the PERSONAL opinion on whether they wanted someone like that as the CEO so he was fired. Ease up.
strayan
Guest
if this country is as progressive as you claim it to be, why not have a national referendum on gay marriage? why not have our governments pursued this issue? the reason is that they are not stupid - they know full well that a vote on gay marriage will get crushed in the vote and set back their agenda another 50 years
strayan
Guest
not sure what the Mozila guy did wrong. all he did was state his PERSONAL opinion on how he defined marriage. easy up people
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Don't Ask, Don't Tell means you could never mention your wife or bring her to a club function in case people realised you were straight.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Maybe it's a non-issue for people who don't have to deal with it. It's pretty easy not to be bothered when the negatives are landing on someone else.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Great comment.
james Higham
Guest
The point I'm making, Minz, is that in all the comments by me on this, you've picked out and fixated on two words - normal and abnormal - not on the broader point of the post and one which many others have made - that sexuality has no place in football. I knew you'd fixate on those two words, rather than the overview, which is why I put them in. There were many readers waiting for you to do this. I've linked to this thread in my own blog and suggested readers keep an eye out to see if you did try to come back to those two words again. And once again, I have to say, along with many other commenters - we are not here to discuss gay sexuality, as 6% of the community wants us to do, but to talk football, which should have nothing to do with sexuality. There's no place for this sort of sexual or racial prejudice. In answer to the answer I know is coming - that it is me being prejudiced, which is what you've wanted to say - I reply that it was not me who brought up the topic of sexuality in the first place. similarly, I never speak of racism - everyone's equal to me. it is the prejudiced who bring the topic up and they really don't like being called prejudiced for bringing it up either.
Minz
Guest
You're missing the point on "straight" and "not straight" - they're nicknames for sexual orientation, not definitions of normal. Both are normal states biologically (and socially, although many try to deny it). Further, stating that gay people define abnormal as not straight reduces your credibility substantially - gay people definitely define "not straight" as normal, same as "straight", and you must be short on gay friends if you don't know that!
james Higham
Guest
Just as our gay friends do - straight and not straight. Seems a good enough definition. Point is though - what's it got to do with sports and football in particular? I'm not remotely interested, as a Geelong supporter, whether Varcoe is aboriginal, straight, gay or whatever but I am concerned he sometimes makes strange decisions, as does Stevie J. Surely that's what football is about - the game.
Minz
Guest
Not quite sure where you're going there... how are you defining "normal" and "abnormal"?
Minz
Guest
The problem I have with "traditional values" is that they seem to include "values" like: - Judging People By How They Look and its close friend, Rejecting Those Who Look Different - Unquestionably Accepting Authority (like the local priest, many of whom were and are great people and some of whom were decidedly not) - Not Talking About Things That Are Uncomfortable - Using "Immoral" As A Label For Everything We're Uncomfortable Or Unfamiliar With (like men falling in love with men) All the bad things that are happening today happened in the past, but people didn't talk about them. As a result, a lot of horrible things happened again and again. Surely it's better to talk about it and try to avoid recurrence?
james Higham
Guest
There is no such thing as sexual "orientation". There is normal and abnormal. Even gays use the term "straight", not hetero. It has nothing to do with football, politicians or anyone else. It's not my place nor yours to condemn or approve. It's between two adults.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
I'm sure if you really wanted they'd let you play in that game.
David
Guest
So why do they have different events for men and women - isn't that discrimination based on gender? Of course, discrimination is ok if it suits you. Did I read somewhere that there was going to be a gay rugby game to celebrate this announcement? If so (and I could be wrong) this is just another form of discrimination.
meck01
Guest
You can say whatever you want and have that right, if it offends someone you shouldn't get upset when they call you on it. Why do you even care what 2 consenting adults are doing? How is my relationship any more negative on society? We both work, have a business which employs 10+ people, don't do drugs or drink and have been together for 10 years. If you mean that it normalises it - well that's just too bad. Finally - just because you don't like it, doesn't mean your own children won't turn out gay (as my father found out!). I would be very careful what I said around my children as it can do untold emotional damage to them. Finally - If you watch lesbian porn and are against gay marriage then your the biggest hypocrite of all.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
Can you tell me why ridicule and competitive sport are inextricably linked?
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
So Simonzee1, what is the most important issue that has got you so emotionally worked up? Is it the support offered to people who have homosexual tendencies? You say you have no problem with respect, is it the compassion you so dislike? The fact that people are using the term homophobic/homophobe? Or free speech? Religious teachings maybe? Possible lack of critical thinking? You seem to venture on to so so many many things it's very unclear.
Simonzee1
Guest
No. Your argument does not deal with the effect of throwing around the word homophobic. If you are a muslim playing football you will be labeled a homophobe because of your religious beliefs.
Simonzee1
Guest
So does domestic violence...depression....drunkeness and great white sharks....but we have drum lines for those in WA. Bullying and teasing gay people is an awful thing but also is calling someone fat or hopeless on the pitch. Next we need an anti bullying campaign on fat people that are teased. We could call it the New AFL Spring to combat fataphobia. But this is the way sport is going soon football will also be a no contact sport and no one will win the game...every game will be a draw.